Deep Water
by mkim57
Summary: This is a combination missing scene from Silent Service and challenge from the Recon board for the month of August.


Deep Water

Chapter 1/1

Disclaimers: I don't own of these JAG characters. I don't own any product or label mentioned for the purposes of telling this story. Any similarities to situations of persons living or dead are purely coincidental.

Spoilers: This is a missing scene/reaction fic of the episode, 'Silent Service.' I am also using it as a response to Pixies challenge on the Recon board. The challenge words were as follows, Water, Heat, Mosquito and Swing.

A/N: Thank you Karen for your beta reading skills and excellent input.

2230

Thursday

February 25, 1999

USS Watertown

Enlisted berthing

Mac lay on her back, listening to Harm trying to get comfortable in his undersized rack. The turbines of the vessel hummed as it pushed the submarine through the water, further into the depths of the Arctic Ocean.

Both officers went over the events of the day, each trying to deal with what happened in their own way…

Mac and Harm had both literally fought for their lives today. Chief Hodge had nearly killed them. In her minds eye Mac could still see Harm's expressive eyes, pleading with her to understand that something was terribly wrong. She had understood, just not soon enough. Not before Hodge had nearly blinded her with an ammonia swab in both of her eyes. She shivered when she thought of his voice in her ear talking about not being able to save everyone. He had told her that she was like Petty Officer Bluefield; she knew then that the petty officer was dead.

The heat of the room, the smell of Harm's blood on her hands, his lack of response when she tried to rouse him, all came back to her suddenly. She truly thought she was going to die, in fact she had. She had struggled for her last breath and then everything went black. Mac folded her arms across her chest, trying to calm herself down and go to sleep. This was going to be a long night…

Harm lay on his back struggling with sleep; he was still groggy from the injection Hodge had jammed into his shoulder. It had done nothing to help him rest tonight. He reached to touch the injection site; it was small and slightly raised much like a mosquito bite. That particular 'mosquito bite' had nearly killed him. The sight of Mac standing in the passageway outside the hatch of the infirmary was one he would never forget. He had never been so glad to see anyone. As soon as she saw him it was as though she were drawn to him, she was his lifeline. As Hodge lied about what happened to him, Mac had known that there had been more to the story. She trusted what she read in his eyes more than what she was hearing

The feeling of helplessness and panic still washed through him when he thought of Mac walking down the passageway with that murderer. It had made him swing his legs over the side of the exam table not really knowing at first how he was going to reach her. He had, using the computer and XO Eustis' PDA, though it was nearly too late.

Hodge had hurt her, hell; in the end he had nearly killed her. He still saw Mac's lifeless body on the floor. He had reacted automatically, trying to breathe life back into her.

Once she came to, the enormity of what happened finally hit him. Harm had lifted her into his arms, hugging her close, the emotion he felt, unguarded. When he felt her reach up and touch his face, he could do nothing but turn his face into her palm. She was going to be alright, and all the pettiness and competition of the last few of days fell away. Mac had fought to save his life like she would have her own, and he had done the same for her without a thought.

Both Harm and Mac had heard footsteps pounding toward them, and through the mist that still hung in the air, they saw the hatch swing open. A sailor had been sent from the engine room to investigate the loss of pressure in one of the lines in this compartment. Mac sat up immediately struggling to resume her professional bearing, though she was still very much out of breath.

"Snap to, Petty Officer,"

"Ma'am" the sailor couldn't help but notice the chief lying on the floor near them.

"Notify the Master at Arms to take Chief Hodge into custody, and notify Commander Flagler of what you have seen here. Ask him to meet Commander Rabb and myself in his stateroom. We will give him a full report there."

Mac thought that taking this story to the bridge wouldn't be a very good idea given the events of the last few weeks.

"Yes ma'am"

The sailor left, in a hurry.

Mac turned back to look at Harm and their eyes locked.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Harm nodded and reached for her arm. "Are you?" he mouthed, without a sound.

She nodded the affirmative. His look was so direct and full of affection that she felt the heat rise up her neck and into her cheeks. It was time to move this along.

Harm stood first and offered Mac his hand, though he was still holding on to the bulkhead with the other to steady himself. When she took it and he pulled her up into standing, her face was just inches from his. He felt an overwhelming urge to pull her back into an embrace, just to reassure himself that she really was still with him. They began to move slightly toward each other when they heard the hatch to the infirmary swing open. It was Master Chief Crimmins followed closely by the Master at Arms. They stepped back when they heard Crimmins say, "Commander…Major?"

"Right here Chief" Mac answered him. She turned back again and looked at Harm.

"Let's get out of here Sailor, maybe between the two of us we can get to Commander Flagler's stateroom in one piece."

Mac sighed audibly and her mind returned to the present moment.

Harm heard her. He turned onto his side, resting his hand on the side of the mattress, wishing more than anything that he could talk to her now.

Mac heard him turn on his rack and try to clear his throat, he was still awake, she knew now. She wanted to reach out and touch him as she did when she had first come to, after he literally breathed life back into her on the floor of that compartment. She scooted closer to the edge of her rack and reached up slowly, keeping her hand hidden beneath the curtain.

Harm felt her hand come up on the side of his mattress. He grasped it gently and placed it on his cheek. He once again turned his face into it, but this time he placed a kiss on her palm.

Her eyes filled with tears. The intensity of emotion she felt was overwhelming. "Harm," she whispered almost inaudibly. She wasn't sure what to call what she felt right now.

Reluctantly he released her hand and she withdrew it. He could still feel the heat of her touch on his face and Mac could still feel exactly where he had held onto her hand.

Mac placed her hand onto her own cheek and placed the other palm flat on the bottom of Harms rack directly above her. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, feeling herself calm with this reassurance. Harm was all right, and she was too. Today had definitely been a milestone for both of them. They would never see each other the same way again. Her connection to him, though she would never be able to explain it to anyone, was on a visceral level now. They were connected.

Harm turned to his back again, trying to understand what he was feeling. Their relationship had definitely moved to another level, he felt closer to her now, closer than he had ever been to any one. He didn't feel as though things were out of control, but some part of him knew that what he felt for Mac was something that he had never felt for anyone in his life. They were still only friends but it was different now. He would have to be more careful. He knew now that this was special, and he didn't want to do anything to screw it up.

They weren't cruising on the Titanic, but they were definitely in deep water.

FIN

A/N: I know the phrase 'cruising on the Titanic' didn't happen until 'Lifeline' but I figured it was part of the way Harm spoke so I used it here.

A/N: This episode is one of my all time favorites and I know I could have taken this farther, but a thread from the HB got me thinking about something. Though I would love to have seen them declare their love right then and there, they just weren't 'grown up' enough for each other yet. Jordan was still a factor in his life and Harm being what I perceive him to be in my fan fiction, would not have been unfaithful to her, no matter how he felt about Mac. They had a true affection for each other, but neither had the maturity to begin the relationship, IMHO. So here it is…. my challenge- reaction- missing scene fic all rolled into one.


End file.
